Thanks

I am thankful today.
Thankful for a family that still loves me even though I waaaay over-baked four lovely pumpkin pies.
Thankful that those pies were delicious anyway.
Thankful for all the other pies:
Apple Crumble
Apple
Berry
Berry/Cherry
Sour Cherry
Bing Cherry
Pecan
Banana Cream
Key Lime
Chocolate
and desserts:
Flan
Pumpkin Roll

(The turkey dinner was delicious too.)

So many things to be thankful for.  What a blessed life I've had so far.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Home Improvement

Ugly, ten-year-old old dresser.

Cute, four-year-old boy.  Red paint.  New knobs.

Ahhh... much better.

If only all my home improvement ideas and projects would go as swiftly and smoothly.  My poor little brain is positively bursting with "want to's" and "have to's", but there is only so much I can do.  I have to constantly remind myself that real home improvement is more about the spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual development of the four little spirits that live here.

But I suppose that a freshly-painted red dresser can lift spirits.  It lifted mine.

Christmas Doodles

With Ben home sick today, we just puttered around in our p.j.s, and pulled out the paints, er, food colors.

Not crazy about any of these, but I think I like the stocking best.  But since these are just for practice, anything goes.  I think I'll try a simple evergreen sprig with a pinecone next.  

I'd like to get a few designs I really like ready for Christmas.

Also, I'm thinking of making these into sandwich cookies, or dipping the bottoms in chocolate, and perhaps some nuts.  Yum??  What do you think?

It's the Little Things

Yes... the little things.  Like waking up and finding that this dream of an apron went on sale overnight!  

At Anthropologie, of course.

This gave me such a spark of happiness this morning.  Materialistic? Perhaps.

But pretty things make me happy!  Aprons make me happy.  Pretty aprons?  Yes please!

Twelve

Ben is twelve.  Which is kind of weird, since I just sent him to kindergarten last year.  Weird.

Ben, just follow in your dad's footsteps and you'll be just fine.  
I love you guys.

Letting Go

Sometimes, it is just necessary to let go.  And sometimes, it kind of feels good.  

So perhaps next week I'll get these dark roots touched up, put on a different pair of (not so baggy) jeans, cook more vegetables for dinner, stop eating candy with abandon, get more serious about my workouts, insist on better piano practicing, chore completion, etc., etc....

But sometimes, I just get rebellious about life's high-maintenance whining.

And I have not forgotten my creativity pledge.  I promise I went to ceramics class last week and got nice and dirty.

Happy Candy Bonanza!

Hermione Granger and Superman wish you the Happiest of Halloweens...
coupled with a warning.  

WARNING:  Ridiculous doses of Halloween candy 

may be detrimental to your mother's mental health.